Multiple circuit breaker



March 17, 1959 R. E. LocHER MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BREAKER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 30, 1958 .Rass Law/5 March 17, 1959 R. E. LocHR MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BREAKER FiledJan. 3o. 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jsrE/Q EAW/S United States Patent() 2,818,332 v MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BREAKER Ross E. Locher, San Marino, Calif.,

Electrical Products, of California Application January 30, 1958, Serial No. 712,215 6 Claims. (Cl. 200-50) assignor to Zinsco Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation This invention relates to circuit breaker switchesrand in particular to improvements therein permitting a plurality of switches to be operated in multiple. In general, a circuit breaker Switch is manually or externally actuable for movement between an open circuit or ot condition and a closed circuit or on condition and is also automatically movable to another open circuit orvtripped condition when certain undesired conditions( exist, the urldesired condition usually being excessive current. After a circuit breaker switch has been tripped or switched to the tripped condition, it is necessary to manually or externally reset the switch to the off condition before it can again be moved to the on condition.

Two or more of such switches may be used in an electrical circuit where it is desirable that all of the switching circuits be open when any one of the switches has been tripped and that all of the switching circuits remain open as long as the undesired condition exists. Accordingly, itis an vobject of the inventionlto provide circuit breaker switches including means for interconnecting the switches to cause all of the switches to move to the tripped condition when any one of the switches is tripped. It is a further object of the invention to provide such circuit breaker switches which will prevent one or more of the switches from being reset when any of the interconnected switches is not in condition Ifor resetting. A further object of the invention is to provide such circuit breaker switches which may be interconnected in any number without requiring internal modication of the switch as a function of the numbervof switches to be interconnected.

It is another object of the invention to provide such an improvement for multiple circuit breaker switches which is adapted for use with various-types of circuit breaker switches, not being restricted tol one-particular form of switch. A further object of the invention is to provide such an improvement which may be incorporated into existing circuit breaker switches without requiring modification of the switching and circuit breaking mechanism of the switch.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. While the invention may be used with various types of circuit breaker switches, it is illustrated and described herein as appliedto the circuit breaker illustrated and described in United States Patent No. 2,502,537, issued to Ernst Speck on April 4, 1950.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view showing two of the switches of the invention mounted side-by-side;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the switch in the o condition;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 3 showing the Switch in the on" condition;

Fig. 6 is view similar to Fig. 3 showing the switch in the tripped condition; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded view showing certain elements of the switch mechanism.

Each switch comprises a hollow case 10 suitably formed of a molded electrical insulating material and having an open side closed by a cover 11 (Fig. 4) of similar material secured to the case by suitable fastening members' such as rivets 12.

A U-shaped metal bracket 13 is confined in a fixed position in the case 10 by lugs 14 and 15, and is provided with aligned V-shaped notches 17 in which seat pivot lugs 18 outstruck from the sides of a U-shaped switch or contact arm 19 freely movable between the sides of the bracket 13 and carrying a movable contact 20 adapted to engage a stationary contact 21 secured to a bus bar 22.

A flexible conductor 23 electrically connects the contact arm 19 with a bimetallic or thermal trip member 25 secured to a bus bar 26 having a wire terminal 27, the bus bar being secured to the case by a screw 28. A screw 29 in one end of the bus bar 26 permits adjustment of the position of the thermal trip member 25 relative to the case.

A trigger 30 is pivotally mounted at one end in the case 10 by a pin 31 and has connected thereto intermediate its ends one end of a heavy over center spring 32, the other end of which is connected to the contact arm 19 adjacent the contact 20. Coacting with the trigger 30 and the thermal trip member 25 is a latch lever 40 pivotally mounted in the case 10 by a pin 41. The latch lever is of U-shaped cross section to freely receive the trigger 30 between the sides thereof for engagement of a latching nose or tip 42 of the trigger with a keeper shoulder 43 at one end of the latch lever adjacent its pivot pin 41.

At its other end remote from the pivot pin 41, the latch lever 40 is provided with a latching toe 44 which is engageable by the free end 45 of the trip member 25 so as to be retained thereby in the set or reset position as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. A coil spring 46 is mounted on the pivot pin 41 and has one leg 47 engaging a cross bar 48 on the latch lever, and another leg 49 engaging a wall 50 of the case 10 so as to urge the latch lever 40 to the tripped position shown in Fig. 6, the spring 46 being best seen in Fig. 5. The trip member 25 and the pivotal latch 40 coact to form a latch mechanism for maintaining the switch in the set or reset position during normal operation of the switch.

A segmental shaped actuating member having a finger piece 56 projecting through a slot 57 in the case 10, is mounted in the case Afor oscillating movement by means of arcuate flanges 58 on opposite sides of the actuator riding in arcuate grooves 59 (Fig. 3) in the case and in the cover.

A reset lock member 60 is pivotally mounted in the case 10 on a pin 61, a tip 62 of the member 60 extending along the trigger 30 for engagement with a lug 63 projecting upward from the trigger. A lug 64 projects outward from the member 60 for engagement with the trip member 25 adjacent its free end 45. The reset lock member 60 has an irregular L-shape as best seen in Fig. 7, this irregular shape being used solely to provide clearance with other elements of the switch while permitting engagement with the trigger and the latch mechanism as indicated. For example, an opening 65 in the member 60 provides clearance for the pivot pin 41. The member is so dimensioned that when the switch is in the normal or set condition as shown n` Figs. 3 and 5, a slight amount of pivotal movement of asrasaa the member is possible, the member being either out of engagement or merely slightly engaging the trip member 25 and the trigger 30.

A rectangular opening 68 is provided in the lock member 60 and a cross link bar 69 of electrical insulating material is made-a sliding tit in the opening 68. Two or more. of the switches of the invention may be mounted side-by-side in a suitable panel board as shown in Figure 1. Aligned openings 70, 71 (Fig. 4) are provided in the case and cover of adjacent switches permitting free rotation of the cross link bar 69 which is engaged with the lock member 60 of each of the switches. Any number of such switches can be positioned side-byside with a single cross link bar passing through all o the switches and engaging all of the lock members.

When desired, the actuators 55 of adjacent switches may be xed together for synchronous movement by positioning a pin 72 in corresponding openings 73 in the finger pieces of the actuators. Such a construction for a pair of switches is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a plurality of such pins may be utilized to synchronize any number of switches.

The operation of the switching mechanism and the circuit breaker mechanism of the switch is described in detail in the aforesaid U. S. Patent, No. 2,502,537. When in the normal operating condition, the switch is moved from the off condition of Fig. 3 to the on condition of Fig. 5 by rotation of the actuator 55 in a counterclockwise direction. The upper end of the actuator engages the contact arm 19 causing the contact f'- arrn to pivot relative to the case and shift the spring 32 from one side to the other of the pivot axis of the contact arm, thereby providing a toggle or snap action for engaging the contacts 20, 21. The reverse action takes place when the actuator is moved in a clockwise direction, the lower end of the actuator engaging the contact arm causing the contact arm to pivot clockwise with the spring providing rapid separation of the contacts. During this normal operation of the switch, the latch mechanism, the trigger, and the lock member remain stationary, taking no part in the switching operation.

When the switch is in the on condition and an excess current condition exists, the thermal trip member 25 will become heated and move in a counterclockwise wise to the position shown in Fig. 6 moving the spring V 32 to the right-hand side of the pivot point of the contact arm 19 resulting in the spring pulling the contact arm in a clockwise direction and separating the contacts 20, 21, as seen in Fig. 6.

The clockwise movement of the trigger 30 causes the lug 63 of the trigger to engage the tip 62 of the lock member 60, pivoting the lock member in a counterclockwise direction bringing the lug 64 of the lock member into engagement with the trip member 25. These elements are so dimensioned that when the switch is in the tripped condition, the lock member 60 will maintain the trip member 25 in the deected position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 6 and in phantom in Fig. 3, even though the trip member may be cooled and tending to return to its normal position.

The circuit breaker mechanism is reset to the off condition by rotating the actuator 55 fully clockwise bringing the lower end of the actuator into engagement with the trigger and rotating the trigger counterclockwise. The latching nose or tip 42 of the trigger engages the cross bar 48 on the latch lever 40 causing the latch lever to rotate clockwise to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5. If the trip member 25 is cool and free to move, it will move clockwise bringing its free end 45 into engagement with the latching toe 44 of the latch lever completing the resetting operation. Then the switch may again be moved from the oit condition to the on condition and return as desired.

'Ihe switch may also be tripped by rotating the lock member 60 counterclockwise by means of a torque applied via the cross link bar 69, the engagement of the lug 64 with the trip member 25 releasing the latch lever 40 and the trigger 30. Thus when two or more switches are connected side-by-side with the common cross link bar and one of the switches is tripped due to an overload condition or the like, the resultant counterclockwise movement of the lock member in the tripped switch produced by the trigger will cause the lock members in the interconnected switches also to rotate counterclockwise and trip all of the switches, thereby opening all of the circuits when one circuit is opened. Of course, the switch which was overloaded cannot be reset until the trip member has cooled and is capable of returning to its normal position. Also, none of the other switches can be reset individually since the lock member 6B of the overloaded switch is held in the tripped position and, via the cross link bar, prevents other lock members from being rotated clockwise.

If -it is attempted to reset all of the switches simultaneously, as would be the case when all of the actuators were connected by the pins 72, all of the lock members would be rotated clockwise as in the standard reset operation. However, as soon as the manual actuators were released, all of the switches would again be tripped, since the trip member of the overloaded switch would not' have moved clockwise to engage the latch lever for locking the trigger in place thus permitting the lock member of the overloaded switch to rotate all the other lock members counterclockwise and trip all switches again.

Thus it is seen that conventional circuit breakler switches can be improved with the addition of a single moving element in each switch permitting operation of a plurality of switches and maintaining all switches in the tripped condition when any one switch is in such condtion.'

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and discussed, it will be understood that other applications of the invention are possible and that the embodiment disclosed may be subjected to various changes, modifications and substitutions Without necessarily departing from the spirit of the invention. The improvements of the invention are, of course, not limited to the specic circuit breaker switch structure shown herein but are applicable to any circuit breaker switch having the same mode of operation.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a circuit breaker switch having a manually actuated off-on switch mechanism and an automatic circuit breaking mechanism mounted in a case, the automatic circuit breaking mechanism including a latch and a trigger released by the latch to automatically interrupt the electrical circuit, the combination of: a reset lock member mounted inthe case and movable from a neutral position to a tripped position, said member including means for engaging the trigger to move said member from said neutral position to said tripped position when the trigger is released, and including means for engaging the latch when in said tripped position to maintain the latch in the circuit interrupting condition; means for mounting a plurality of the switches side-by-side; and cross linking means for engaging and interconnecting said member with the corresponding members in each of the adjacent switches for continuously maintaining all ot the members in the same position.

2. A circuit breaker switch for operation in conjunction with a plurality of similar switches, each of the switches having a manually actuated off-on switch mechanism and an automatic circuit breaking mechanism mounted in a case, the automatic circuit breaking mechanism including a latch and a trigger released by the latch to automatically interrupt the electrical circuit, and including in combination: a reset lock member pivotally mounted in the case and movable from a neutral position to a tripped position, said member having a irst extension for engaging the trigger to move said member from said neutral position to said tripped position when the trigger is released, and having a second extension for engaging the latch when in said tripped position to maintain the latch in the circuit interrupting condition, and having a nonround opening therethrough with the axis of the opening parallel to the pivot axis of said member; means for mounting the switch side-by-side with a plurality of similar switches with the nonround openings substantially in alignment, each of the cases having corresponding openings therein providing an unobstructed passage through all of the nonround openings; and a longitudinal bar positioned in said passage in mating engagement with said nonround openings with the pivoting of the lock member of any switch causing synchronous movement of the lock members of all the switches.

3. In a circuit breaker switch, the combination of: a case; a contact arm movably mounted in said case; an actuator for moving said contact arm from an open circuit condition to a closed circuit condition and return; a trigger pivotally mounted in said case, said trigger being movable from an on position to a trip position; means for urging said trigger toward said trip position; means for connecting said trigger to -said contact arm to move said contact arm to said open circuit condition when said trigger is in said trip position; a latch mechanism for engaging and maintaining said trigger in said on position, said latch mechanism including means for releasing said trigger, said actuator being movable to a reset position to return said trigger to said on position and rte-engage said latch mechanism and said trigger; a reset lock member mounted in said case, said member including means for engaging said trigger and being movable to a reset lock position by said engagement when said trigger moves to said trip position, and including means for engaging said latch mechanism when in said reset lock position to release said trigger; and means for interconnecting said member with the corresponding members o corresponding switches in driving relationship for synchronous movement of the members.

4. In a circuit breaker switch, the combination of: a case; a contact arm movably mounted in said case; an actuator for moving said contact arm from an open circuit condition to a closed circuit condition and return; a trigger pivotally mounted in said case, said trigger being movable from an on position to a trip position; means for urging said trigger toward said trip position; means for connecting said trigger to said contact arm to move said contact arm to said open circuit condition when said trigger is in said trip position; a latch mechanism for engaging and maintaining said trigger in said on position, Said latch mechanism including means for releasing said trigger, said actuator being movable to a reset position to return said trigger to said on position and re-engage said latch mechanism and said trigger; a member pivotally mounted in said case and movable between neutral and lock positions, said member including means for engaging said trigger as said trigger moves to said trip position to move said member to said lock position, and including means for engaging said latch mechanism when in said lock position to release said trigger, and including a noncircular opening therein, said case including at least one opening in alignment with said opening in said member, said member loosely fitting between the elements of the s itch when in said neutral position; and a cross link bar slidingly positionable in said opening in said member and passing through said opening in said case for rotation of and by said member.

5. The combination of: a plurality of circuit breaker switches, each of said switches having an off condition, an on condition, and a tripped condition, each of said switches including lever means mounted in the switch and movable from a neutral position when the switch is in the oit and on conditions to a lock position when the switch is in the tripped condition; means for mounting said switches side-by-side; and link means for interconnecting the lever means of each of the side-by-side switches for moving all or" the lever means together simultaneously causing all of said switches to Switch to the tripped condition when any one of said lever means is moved to said lock position.

6. The combination of: a plurality of circuit breaker switches, each of said switches having an ot condition, an on condition, and a tripped condition, each of said switches including lever means mounted in the switch and movable from a neutral position when the switch is in the oli and on conditions to a lock position when the switch is in the tripped condition, said lever means including means for tripping the switch to switch to the tripped condition when said lever means moves to said lock position; means for mounting said switches side-by-side; and link means for interconnecting the lever means of each of the side-byeside switches for moving all ofthe lever means together simultaneously causing all of said switches to switch to the tripped condition when any one of said switches is switched to the tripped condition.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,306,347 Krantz June 10, 1919 2,703,827 Gelzheiser Mar. 8, 1955 2,779,831 Thomas Jan. 29, 1957 

